The Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to
publish the scientific advice underpinning the decision to reopen
schools following reports the move could increase the rate of
Covid-19 infections.
Calculations for Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies
(Sage) show that if schools are fully reopened, a
“surprisingly small” chain of infection could quickly carry the
virus across the country.
Sources close to SAGE also told The Times that
scientists are uncertain schools will be able to reopen to all
pupils in September without closing down other parts of the
economy again.
Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson said:
“We all want to be able to have pupils back at school in order to
give them the education they need, but not until it is made
safe.
"These reports are exactly why parents and teachers are so
worried about being kept in the dark. The Government must
urgently publish this evidence in full so we can properly
scrutinise these decisions.
"We also need to know what is being done to ensure any future
outbreaks in schools are contained, including by putting in place
a comprehensive test, trace and isolate strategy."
ENDS.
Notes to editors:
The Liberal Democrats’ five-point plan for reopening
schools to more pupils in England.
- Increase capacity for physical learning. Combine local spare
space registers, where local councils and school leaders can
cooperate on using suitable empty buildings in the community as
learning spaces.
- Recruit an army of extra teachers to cope with demand. Launch
a Teach for Britain recruitment campaign to bring out-of-work
supply teachers and recently-retired teachers into schools so
more pupils can return. Build on the success of the Social Work
Together campaign, developed with the Local Government
Association. Work with unions to try and get more teachers into
learning spaces in any one school day.
- End the online learning void for thousands of children.
Develop a bold strategy to leave no child behind by partnering
with the private sector to get laptops and internet access to any
disadvantaged child currently unable to learn online. Recognise
that the current target of 230,000 leaves too many children
behind, and that councils are neither receiving the equipment
they have asked for, nor seeing high uptake rates for the kit
they’re given. Begin major advertising campaign to encourage
families and children to ask for equipment. Back this up by
working to get more physical resources including textbooks to
children lacking internet/computer access.
- Consider designing a flexible, phased reopening that follows
the science and has the trust of parents and the profession by
being developed with them, following the lead of in Wales. Consider
extending the summer term by one week, and stagger pupils’
attendance in school, so that at most a third of pupils are
normally present at any one time. Begin the next academic year
on time in September, but double the autumn half-term break to
two weeks. We must recognise that many schools are doing a
fantastic job at phased reopening, and ensure local
authorities, academy trusts and government are learning from
their successes.
- Halt the widening of the disadvantage gap. Extend the free
school meals over the summer holidays, but recognise the scheme
is flawed and excludes many families and so combine it with an
emergency uplift in child benefit of £150 per child per month,
with £100 for every subsequent child, during this crisis.
Implement a ‘catch-up premium’ of £700 per disadvantaged child,
to enable schools and charities give them a much-needed boost in
the next academic year. Also create a Summer Learning Fund so
that councils can run summer learning camps for children, focused
on local authorities in the most deprived areas. This will
prepare children for September and give many children a positive
environment in which to learn and re-acclimatise to an
educational environment. Fully fund places for children on free
school meals.
